Heney vallance



(No Model.)

H. VALLANCE.

VEHIGLE.

No. 265.472. Patented Oct. 3, 1882.

a tte-St K fi A J d? 7 lJNiTE I STATES ATENT QFMCE 4 IIENRY VALLANCE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,472, dated October 3, 1882.

Application iled August 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENR-Y VALLANCE, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Convertible Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descriprion, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view, showing the body of the vehicle to which my invention relates arranged as a car'riage for carrying passengers. Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section of the same. Fig.3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3, Fg. 2, and showing the body arran ged as a springwagon for freight purposes. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line et 4, Fig.2, showing the body arranged as a carriage. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the seats folded together, and Fig. 6 is a similar View with the parts open.

Myinvention relates to a vehicle-body which can in a very short amount of time be converted from a spring-wagon for carrying freight into a neat and comfortable carriage for carrying passengers, and vice versa.

My invention consists in the arrangement and Construction of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

A A represent the sides, B the bottom, O the back, and D the seat, of the body of the vehicle.

In the bottom B is formed a well or receptcle, E, extending preferably from the back of the body to the back part of the seat, as shown, and of a sufficientwidth to receive comfortably the feet ot' the passengers.

To the sides ot' the body are hin ged brackets F, which can be swung out at right angles to the sides ot' the body, when the device is arranged for a carriage, to support the seats, and can be swung hack closegainst the sides, when the device is arranged for a spring-wagon, and retained there by suitable catches, so as to he out of the way.

The seats are made in two pieces, G G each connected together by suitable hinges, H.

To the inner pieces, G', are hinged at L narrow strips, I, which are connected 'to similar strips, J, near each end, by arms or strips K,-

made in two pieces, each connected by rulejoints, as shown in Fig. 2. The strips J are connected to the bottom B of the body, at the upper corners of the receptacle, by hinges L'. The arms or strips K are pivoted to the strips, so that they can be closed together.

Now, suppose the Vehicle has been used as a carriage, and it is desired to convert it into a spring-wagon for carrying freight, referrin g to Fig.4, the cuslions M would first be removed and the outer parts, Gr, of the seat would be folded over onto the inner parts, G'. The two parts of the seats are then raised to a Vertical position on the hinges L, and the strips I are then dropped, carrying the seats with them, onto the strips J by hending the arms K at their rule-joints, the arms enterin g grooves made in the strips to receive them. One of these grooves is shown at N, Fig. 1. The next and last movement to be made is to turn the seats and strips down, by means ot' the joints L', into the position shown in Fig. 3, which closes the receptacle and makes a firm smooth bottom to the body of the wagon, each seat closing over half ot' the receptacle. When the seats are thu s closed down they are supported at each end by a strip, 0, secured to the respective ends ot' the receptacle.

P P represent back supports to be used when the vehicle is arranged for a carriage. They are made removable by their vertical strips Q enterin g keepers R, secured to the inside of the body.

S S are fenders secured to the backs of the supports P, so as to be removed with them.

When the vehiele is in use as a spring-wagon, and it is desired to make a cariage out of it, the brackets F are simply swung out and' the seats raised and opened into the position shownin Fig.4,andthe cushionsplaced thereou and the back supports putin place, the well E formin g a receptacle for the feet of the passengers and giving to the seats the proper height for comfort.

I do not wish to confine myself to the exact manner shown and described of connecting the seats to the body, as it may be changed without altering tleessential features of my invention. i y

I claim as my invention- 1. In a convertible carriage and spring-wagon, the receptacle E in the bottom of the body, in conbinaton with folding seats adapted to be supported on brackets or to cover the recept'cle, substantiaily as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a convertible carriage and spring-Wagon, the seats G G', connected to the bottom B ot' the body by strips I J and connecting-arms K, with rule-joints adapted to be supported on brackets secured to the sides of the body, or to be folded up so as to be fiush with the bottom of the body,-substantial1y as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

pose set forth. i i HENRY VALLANCE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE MATTHEWS, GEO. H. KNIGHT. 

